MOVIESStolen Films Recovered: Stolen prints of the...

MOVIES

Stolen Films Recovered: Stolen prints of the new movies “Maverick,” “The Flintstones” and “Beverly Hills Cop 3,” plus last year’s “Jurassic Park” and “Carlito’s Way,” were recovered in a vacant building in Boston by FBI agents acting on a tip. The recovery thwarted plans that could have cost millions of dollars in revenue to film companies, the Motion Picture Assn. of America said. The films were stolen Sunday night or early Monday morning from the National Film Service in the Boston suburb of Dorcester. The company, which said it had not had any previous film thefts in its 48-year history, offered a $25,000 reward. A company spokeswoman said the firm believes that no duplicates were made because the film cans had not been opened.

TELEVISION

Bittersweet Victory: “Tales of the City,” the six-hour miniseries based on Armistead Maupin’s stories about life among gay and straight San Franciscans in the 1970s, won the British equivalent of an Emmy Award Thursday night as best drama serial of 1993. But winning the Royal Television Society Award was a bittersweet victory for Britain’s Channel 4, which produced the program. The broadcasting company had hoped to make a sequel, but cannot secure funding in the United States that would enable it to produce “More Tales of the City.” The Public Broadcasting Service, which aired the original series, says it will not invest in the new production. Meanwhile, because of its popularity, KCET will repeat the program starting Friday at 10 p.m.

* Interactive Soap: The Interactive Network and Columbia TriStar said “Days of Our Lives” is going interactive. Beginning this fall, subscribers will be able to register opinions about the story lines, access information about past programs, review character profiles and interact with “Days” fan clubs.

POP/ROCK

Tops of Pop: “I Will Always Love You,” written by Dolly Parton and published by her Velvet Apple Music first in 1973, was named song of the year by BMI, the performing rights organization, at the company’s 43rd annual Pop Awards Dinner in New York on Thursday. The awards honored the writers and publishers of the 73 most performed songs on U.S. radio and television from Oct. 1, 1992, to Sept. 30, 1993. Parton’s song was recorded by Whitney Houston in 1993 and was the longest-running No. 1 single in the history of Billboard magazine (14 weeks) and sold nearly 8 million copies worldwide. The song drove the soundtrack to “The Bodyguard” to sales of more than 28 million worldwide. BMI also honored Miguel A. Morejon as co-writer of five of the most performed songs during the eligibility period, as the songwriter of the year. Warner Music Group, with 17 citations, was named publisher of the year, and the Spin Doctors’ “Two Princes” was named college song of the year.

STAGE

Glenn Close Ailing: Barbara Streisand wasn’t the only one with voice problems this week. Laryngitis also felled Glenn Close. The star of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Sunset Boulevard” was out Wednesday and Thursday evenings “on doctor’s orders.” Her role of Norma Desmond was assumed by understudy Karen Mason. Close was scheduled to see her doctor Friday afternoon about weekend performances, but no report was immediately available. The Shubert Theatre has set up a special information line regarding Close’s performance schedule: (310) 201-1516. Refunds and exchanges are available only in person or by mail from the Shubert box office, 2020 Avenue of the Stars, Los Angeles 90067.

* Pasadena to Poway: Despite the suspension of most of Theatre Corp. of America’s touring operations, the Pasadena-based company will take the Pasadena Playhouse production of “Special Occasions” to Poway Center for the Performing Arts in San Diego County, as previously planned. The new dates are July 7-17.

QUICK TAKES

Vince Gill, Alan Jackson, Loretta Lynn, Patty Loveless and Marty Stuart are some of the country music stars who will perform live in a salute to the historic Ryman Auditorium, old home of the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. “The Roots of Country: Nashville Celebrates the Ryman” will be taped Wednesday at the theater for broadcast on CBS June 25. The Ryman was the Grand Ole Opry’s home from 1943 to 1974. The recently renovated 102-year-old auditorium is now a museum, and last weekend was the site of festivities of a different sort--the wedding of country singer Trisha Yearwood to musician Robert Reynolds. . . . Actor-comedian Sinbad and singer-actress Vanessa Williams host the annual “Essence Awards,” recognizing the achievements of outstanding African Americans, on Fox-TV at 8 p.m. June 6. Honorees include Eddie Murphy, Spike Lee, Denzel Washington, Quincy Jones and the Rev. Jesse Jackson.